Arch and heel support.



M. E; RICE.

ARCH AND HEEL SUPPORT. APPLIOATION rmm A G; 19. 1907.

V Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

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-- To all whom-it may concernr UNITED STATES MILO E. RICE, OF LOSANGELEQ- CALIFOR NIA.

ARCH AND HEEL s-nrroa'r.

earner.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed August 19,

Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

1907. Serial N0. 389,138.

Be it known that "I, MILo Bron, a citizen of the United States,-residingat Los Angele's, county of Los-Angeles, State'of California, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Arch and'Heel Supports, of whichthe following is aspecification.

My invention relates to means which are worn inside'of boots or shoesfor supporting thearch of the instep either toprevent the same frombreaking down, or'if impaired to support the parts to enable them toregain theirnormal-shape and condition, and also to provide'a certainamount of resili-c ency under the ,heeLto take off a portion of the jarcaused in walking; and the objects are to provide a simple and effectiveinstep support which is capableof adjustment, and a heel extension .totake off a portion of the ordinary jar in walking. I accomplish theseobjects by the device described herein and illustrated by theaccompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 is a bottom perspective view of the support-remoi'ed from theshoe.' Fig. 2

is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view showing the same inplace in a shoe, a portion of the shoe being cutaway for clearness' ofillustration. Fig' 4f is a side view: showing another manner of securingthe lacing thongs to the body.

In the drawings the body 5 is a piece vof leather or any other-"suitablematerial,

preferably sole leather, which is cut and molded to conform to the archpart of the foot n'nder the. instep and to the heel of the wearer, so astofit into any given size or number of .boot or shoe, The front edge 6is broughtvto a thin edge and preferably extends toward the front of theshoe 7 so as to come beneath the ball 8 of the foot 9 of i the wearer.Near the front end and to the bottom of the body is secured a thongstrip 10 which is of canvas or other suitable materi'al. This thongstrip is provided with eyelet holes 11 into which is received the lacingthong 12, which also passes through Heel plate 14 is of resilient metaland is cut away in the central portion as best shown in.

. Fig. l and the rear portion 16 is bent down w'ai'diy as best shown inFig; 2'so that when in. place in the shoe the rear end 16 of the heelplate would hear on the'bottom of the shoe. A reinforcing plate 17 ofthe same1 configuration as the rearportion' of the heel plate islikewise secured upon, the rear end of the body to stiffen the same. Theheel plate is provided to take off aportion of the jar caused in walkingand if it is not required rear portion thereof a: thong strip with holesor eyelets therein similar to strip 10. By thisconstruction an arch andheel support is provided which can be removed from the shoe whendesired, and the lacing thong can be tightened or loosened to provide ahigher or lower arch support. The thon also being somewhat resilientwill give slig litly when the weight is thrown on the body therebyproducing greater resiliency than if the thong wereomitted. 4

Where cheapness of construction is an object, lacing holes 1%. may beprovided in the body as shown in Fig. 2 and the-.lacing thong could beused therein to given-"higher. or lower arch.

- Having describedmy invention what I claim is; v

1. A removable flexible body piece conforming to the instep arch; andnon-metallic, flexible, adjusting means secured to the body'piece nearthe ends thereof, said adjusting'means passing longitudinally the bodypiece from near one end to near the other end thereof, whereby the archmay be raised or lowered as desired.

2. A bodyv piece conforming to the instep arch; a thong strip secured tosaid body the arch support could have secured at the piece on the underside thereof near the piece said thong strip having eyelet holestherein; a heel plate having the central portion thereof cut out securedto said body piece near the rear end thereof; said heel plate havingeyelet holes at the forward end thereof and having the rear end thereofbent downwardly; and a lacingthong in said eyelet holes.'

4.- As an improved article of manufacture a removable. .arch support forboots and shoes formed of suitable material shaped to conform to thefoot at the heel and arch; said support having a transverse row ofeyelet holesnear the front. and another transverse row of eyelet holesnear the back thereof; and a lacing thong insaid eyelet holesalternately passing through the holes at the front and back.

5. As an improved article of manufacture a removable arch support forboots and shoes formed of suitable material shaped to conform to thefoot at the heel and arch; a lacing thong adjustably secureo to thefront and rear of said support and ,means for imparting resiliency tothe rear portion of said support.

(5. A removable flexible body piece conforming to the instep arch, and alacing thong secured near the ends thereof to hold the ends fromspreading, said thong running longitudinally said body piecef 7. An archsupport for shoes comprising day of August, 1907. p

y MILO E. RICE. Witnesses:

G. E. HARPHAM, S. B. AUSTIN.

